Couly-Dutheil: the 2009s

Jacques and Arnaud Couly

The Vienne@Chinon even François Rabelais (statue by bridge) is huddled up against the damp cold

Following my tasting at Baudry-Dutour we headed to Chinon with time for a quick picnic sitting inside the car enjoying some excellent paté en croute bought at the truffle market in Marigny-Marmande from the Charcuterie Girardeau (Saumur: tel: 02.41.51.30.33) stall. Then onto Couly-Dutheil to taste 2009s.

Before starting tasting their range of 2009, Arnaud Couly talked briefly about the 2010 vintage and the difference between the vines on the plain of the Vienne and those on the Coteaux. "We had 40ml of rain at the end of September," said Arnaud, "and we had to pick the vineyards on the plain quickly because of the spread of rot. For those on the coteaux, however, we could wait for the best moment to pick them. With grassed over vineyards we had problems in the summer because it was so dry and the grass was in competition with the vines. Later with the rain they were very useful as they absorbed the water."

I started with the crisp and lemony 2009 Les Chanteaux, Chinon Blanc, which comes from Saint-Louans, where they used two tris for this cuvée. Then on to the first red Les Gravières d'Amadour Abbé de Turpenay. This is the Couly's cuvée printemps and is juicy easy drinking with red fruit flavours to the fore. They also bottle the same wine later in the year but it is called La Coulée Automnale – principally destined for the restaurant trade – and it is very interesting to note the difference another few months in vat makes to the wine. The Automnale is considerably rounder and softer than the Graviers making it an attractively easy drinking bottle.

2009 La Coulée Automnale

Previously I have criticised Couly-Dutheil for the dry tannins in their wines. It was noticeable in this tasting of the 2009s that in this vintage the tannins are soft, round and well integrated with the fruit.
 
La Diligence, which comes from vineyards in Beaumont-en-Véron, is a case in point. and was one of my favourites. The top of the vineyard is on clay-limestone, while the lower is more sandy. Mid-weight with ripe black fruits and some structure and well integrated tannins. This has sufficient power to drink with quite robust stews as well as various chicken dishes.
 

2009 La Diligence

Diligence was followed by two bottlings of Domaine Réné Couly – the first bottled in June and the latter in September. The domaine is on the plateau to the north and west of Chinon close to Saint-Louans. Very interesting to see the difference an additional three months in vat makes as the structure of the September bottling is softer with the tannins better intregrated with a touch of gaminess and ripe, soft fruit. Ideally both bottlings need another six months or more to intregrate and soften further. If you buy the black fruited 2009 Baronnie Madelaine I'd drink this before the Réné Couly.

Clos de l'Olive

We ended with the two famous single vineyard cuvées: 2009 Clos de l'Olive (4.5 ha) and the Clos de l'Echo. On current form the l'Echo is certainly the more attractive with the Olive showing rather grainy, granular tannins. In contrast the complex L'Echo has good texture, structure with black fruits and a touch of liquorice. 

2009 Clos de l'Echo

The final 2009 was Clos de l'Echo Crescendo, which is the only Couly-Dutheil red that sees any wood. There are some wood notes on this supple and well textured red, which obviously needs more time to show its obvious potential. In 2009 only 2000 bottles of Crescendo were made. I remain convinced that Crescendo is an error – that Clos de l'Echo should be the grand vin with fruit from any lesser parcels in the Clos going into a second wine or a more generic cuvée. I think I would blend the small proportion aged in wood into the grand vin.        

We finished with the soft and round 2006 Crescendo, whose wood is understandably now fuller integrated but with more grainy tannins than the 2009.  

2006 Crescendo de Clos de l'Echo

After the tasting Arnaud and Jacques explained that they have reduced their use of pigeage, which is difficult to manage making it easy to extract too much tannin. Instead they prefer to pump over, which they allows them to regulate extraction more easily. It has certainly worked in 2009 with better tannin management. How far this has been helped by flattering nature of the 2009 vintage should become clearer when the 2010s are ready to taste.



See post on tasting at Couly Dutheil in January 2009.